In her book, "Story of a Soul", Saint Therese embraces a fresh servant leadership approach known as “The Little Way”. She encourages us to follow the lead and needs of others while acknowledging, recognizing, and promoting their efforts. Saying, "rather than aspiring to doing great deeds, do many small deeds with great love." I hope this blog inspires others in the same way St. Therese and others have inspired me.

Tag Archives: forgiveness

The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, known simply as Philemon, is one of four prison letters. Co-authored by Paul the Apostle and Timothy around 60 – 63 AD in Rome, this letter is unlike Paul’s other letters in that he referred to himself as “a prisoner for Jesus Christ” rather than as an apostle with authority and to Timothy as “our brother”. Addressing Philemon — a leader of the Colossian Church — as a “fellow laborer” and “brother”, Paul wrote this letter on behalf of Onesimus — a runaway slave that Philemon owned and who may have wronged him.

While details are sketchy surrounding the circumstances of their first meeting, some scholars suggest that Onesimus may have been arrested and imprisoned alongside Paul. During their time together, Paul spoke to Onesimus of the love and forgiveness God has for all believers who have a changed heart. Having shared the Gospels with him and had personally witnessed his transformation, Paul referred to Onesimus’ conversion as a “new life blossoming in a once-dead heart” (Philemon 1:19). With Onesimus’ conversion being a significant, life changing event, Paul was compelled to celebrate and nurture this new life anyway he could.

With a growing affection between them, it would have been easy for Paul to keep Onesimus at his side. He thought it best, however, to send Onesimus back to Philemon along with this letter as a means of healing the relationship between them. Beautifully composed, Paul wrote this letter to appeal to Philemon’s reputation as a fellow believer. For the sake of love, Paul asked Philemon to receive Onesimus, not as a runaway slave, but rather as his “brother beloved” and to forgive him in the event he had done anything wrong (Philemon 1:11–14). Approaching the topic delicately and with great care, Paul presented Onesimus to Philemon as a man transformed. Once a slave of sin, Onesimus had surrendered to the love and forgiveness he found in Christ. Now free from sin, Onesimus was now his equal. Aware that his request required sacrifice on Philemon’s part, Paul wrote “I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more” (Philemon 1:21).

This letter serves as not only as a model of Christian courtesy among believers with a tangible example of Christian love, but also as a reminder of the significance of Christian conversion. More specifically, Paul’s message is powerful. First and foremost, it reminds us that God wants an intensely personal relationship with each of us regardless of the struggles we face, the sins we have committed, and the station in life we hold. Further, more than any of Paul’s writings, this letter reveals the sheer depth of God’s love. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, believers with a “changed heart” are offered the same extraordinary gift Onesimus received…undeserving grace and forgiveness in which to heal and begin a brand new life. Like Onesimus, we are all enslaved by sin. It’s in our nature… and yet… we are given ample opportunity to surrender our selves and our lives to Christ’s love and forgiveness. In believing and in accepting this precious gift, our sins are forgiven, thereby freeing us to create a new life.

Once given love and forgiveness, what will you do with this gift and with this brand new life? Will you pay it forward as Paul did to Onesimus, or keep it to yourself? Through our daily actions and words, each of us have an opportunity to touch the lives of all the Onesimuses of this world, however big or small. Admittedly something I still need to work on, I have come to know that in extending the same love and forgiveness to others that we have received in Christ demonstrates to the world in very real and tangible ways just how powerful our lives have been transformed for the better.

Outline

Introduction (Verses 1-3). Theses verses indicate that Paul and Timothy wrote this letter during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Like other Epistles, this one begins with a prayer asking for great blessings in the form of grace and peace from God and Christ.

Prayer for Philemon (Verses 4-7). In these verses, Paul demonstrates the reality of his prayer, praying for Philemon in the same way all Christians should pray for each other. Knowing the faithfulness of other Christians have in praying for us serves as motivation to pray. In this instance, having heard that Philemon believed in and loved the Lord and all His saints, Paul prayed that Philemon and other Christians would grow spiritually as they prayed for their brethren. With this prayer, Paul had great consolation in the character of Philemon and in that of other Christians.

Intercession of Paul on Behalf of Onesimus (Verses 8-22). Paul begins by asking Philemon to accept Onesimus back as an equal and beloved Christian brother in Christ rather than as a runaway slave. More specifically, Paul appealed to Philemon for the sake of love, citing that Onesimus had surrendered his life to Christ and is ready to be of service to him. Paul continued by saying he found consolation and joy in knowing that his request to forgive Onesimus would be honored.

Like this:

The other night, Justin and I were talking about “second chances” and how blessed we are that our Lord gives us many of them and not just two as the phrase would infer. As he spoke, it made me think about the series of heartbreaks I experienced over the years and how truly blessed I am now that I finally found love after three “second chances”. Blessed not only because our Lord gave me three “second chances”, but blessed because he threw in a bonus — an opportunity to redefine and expand the meaning of family. Like many, the first time out at love I was young and foolish. Not realizing I already had it, I gave it up for a “second chance”. I soon regretted that “second chance” as it eventually ended in divorce. When I finally opened my heart up to the possibility of love again many years later, I was older, but still a bit foolish when it came to my second “second chance” with love. Still young-at-heart and naive in many ways, I had feelings for my third love that I now know he never felt for me. The relationship eventually ran its course , ending with bad feelings on both sides. It wasn’t until I made a conscious decision to change myself and my life rather than expecting the world to change for me that love finally came to me. Interestingly enough it finally came when I no longer pursued it. Since then I have truly appreciated its many forms.

Whether you’re an athlete (Tiger Woods, Michael Vick, Roger Clemens, or Alex Rodriguez), a politician (Elliot Spitzer, Gary Hart, or Richard Nixon), an ex con, drug addict, a single parent, or an “average Joe or Josephine” who said or did something they later regretted , we often hear the mantra, ‘everybody deserves a second chance.’ Is this really true? Should we always give another a second chance? Are there any circumstances where someone does not deserve a second chance? For example, when they said or did something deemed “unforgivable” for the umpteenth time. Or, should we always err on the side of forgiveness?

“Second chances” are not only about forgiveness and reconciliation; they are also about treating others in a way we too wish to be treated. For example, if you lost your savings and had to file for bankruptcy, wouldn’t you want a “second chance” to gain financial stability? If you lost your job at no fault of your own for the third time, wouldn’t you want a local employer to have enough faith in you to hire you? After going through a divorce, or a series of betrayals or abusive relationships, wouldn’t you want yet another chance to know lasting love? “Second chances” are about offering hope to those who only know of despair; unconditional love to those who only know anger, hatred, or indifference; trust to those who only know of betrayal; and abundance to those only knowing poverty. In real terms, it means providing programs that help ex-cons, drug addicts, and single parents who want to change their life in a positive direction find work and be able to stay on course. It means donating food and clothing the homeless and lower income individuals who find themselves without the necessary resources to sustain themselves; providing rehabilitation centers and transitional housing for those who need a chance to heal; and offering after-school programs to our at-risk youth who are in need of positive role models to turn their lives around.

Does everyone deserve a “second chance”? Absolutely. A third, fourth, and a million second chances too. As Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18:21-22, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” To that Jesus replied, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” In doing so though it doesn’t mean you have to be stupid or naive about it. For example, if your son embezzles money from your business, a “second chance” may mean forgiveness and reconciliation so as to maintain a loving relationship with him. You do have to be smart enough about it though as to not hire him to do the books for your business. Or if a former love cheated on you, a “second chance” may mean to take a step back, learn from the mistakes you made in the relationship, and work through the issues so you have a chance to remain friends after the split. It doesn’t mean, however, you should renew a romance with him anytime soon.

What a “second chance” is really about is giving others what we want others to give us…. as many opportunites as it takes to learn and grow from our mistakes; a safe place to make whatever changes are needed to move our life in a positive direction; and most of all a chance to reclaim what we may have once had, to reach our full potential, and to become… the person God meant us to be. So don’t save “second chances” for the holiday season. Rather, offer them up to all the lives you touch every day of the year.

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others. Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my community, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

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Saint Therese de Lisieux

St. Therese

Servant Leadership

In her book, "Story of a Soul", Saint Therese de Lisieux embraces a fresh leadership approach. Known as “The Little Way”, she encourages us to follow the lead and needs of others while acknowledging, recognizing, and promoting their efforts. Saying, "rather than aspiring to doing great deeds" she asks us to "do many small deeds with great love." With this philosophy in mind, I created this blog to inspire others in the same way as others have inspired me.

About St. Therese

For generations, many have admired this young saint known as the "Little Flower", finding more inspiration in her short life than in their own lives. Yet Therese died when she was only 24, after having lived as a cloistered Carmelite for less than ten years. She never went on missions, never founded a religious order, never performed great works. The only book of hers, published after her death, was a brief edited version of her journal called "Story of a Soul." Yet within 28 years of her death, the public demand was so great she was canonized. Over the years, some modern Catholics have turned away from her because they view her message as being too simple and child-like. Yet as simple as her message may be, it remains as compelling to us now as it was almost a century ago.